Broken Flower (Early Spring 1)

"You saw Flora," he said. He squatted beside the tub. "What else did she tell you? Well? Talk."

I shook my head.

He stood up. "I guess I'll have to tell Mother and Father what you did then," he said. "Mother won't like it that you went into the woods alone, and when she finds out about that girl..."

"Don't. Mama's very upset, Ian."

"Then talk. I have to know everything. Jordan, or I can't help you."

"She told me about a boy who tried to put his sperm in her," I blurted.

He simply stared at me for one of those famous Ian moments.

"She's disgusting," he muttered. "Did she do anything else to you besides putting on that bandage? Did she?" he followed quickly and loudly. "You'd better tell me, Jordan. She could hurt you."

"She wanted to show me what could happen," I said.

"What? Show you? How did she do that, Jordan?" He knelt beside the tub again, his face now inches from mine. "Tell me exactly what she did. Exactly," he emphasized.

I bit down on my lower lip. I didn't want to talk about it.

"You have to tell me," he said. "It's very, very important." He put his hand on my shoulder and fixed his eyes on me so intently. I started to cry again.

"Damn her," he said. "Tell me everything right now or else."

I told him, blurting it all out as quickly as I could to get it over with.

Anger washed a crimson tint through his fact that darkened his eyes and tightened his lips. He stood up slowly when I was finished.

"She's a sick person," he said. I'm going to make sure she never bothers you again."

He turned and walked out of the bathroom, but suddenly returned to the doorway. "When you get out, put another bandage on that. There is some antiseptic in the cabinet. Put it on first. Dry around it and put the bandage on. Then take your dress, socks, and panties to the washing machine and put them in. I'll take care of it when I return. Leave your shoes by the washing machine. Do it all quickly before Mother returns. I don't think Father is coming downstairs for a while yet," he added.

Then he left.

I did what he told me and changed into a pair of jeans and a blue cotton blouse. I put on some sandals and socks and went out on the porch to see what he was doing, but he wasn't anywhere in sight and didn't answer when I called for him. It was almost lunchtime so I thought he would be back any moment. I went into the kitchen and took out the sandwiches and put them on plates on the table. I thought he might want lemonade so I took that out as well and set out some glasses and napkins. I wondered if Daddy was hungry yet and went to the stairway to listen to set if he had gotten up, but it was very quiet.

Returning to the kitchen. I sat and waited. Finally. I got too hungry, to wait any longer and started to eat my sandwich. I was almost finished when I heard Daddy on the stairway. He came down and into the kitchen. He was in his bathrobe and barefoot, but he looked more together and more awake. He had brushed his hair.

"Hey. Jordan," he said. "Lunchtime, huh?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"Where's Ian?"

"I don't know. He went out again," I said.

Daddy went to the refrigerator and looked inside. "I'm actually starving," he said, and began to take out the ingredients to make himself a sandwich of turkey and cheese. "I vaguely remember your telling me something about your mother going on an errand. Jordan," he said as he prepared his sandwich. "Where'd she go?"

"I don't know, Daddy."

He looked at me and then brought his sandwich to the table. "She didn't tell you anything?"

I shook my head. "She was carrying a paper bag," I said, remembering that.

"A paper bag?" He bit into his sandwich and thought. "Maybe she had to return something she bought."

"She said it would take most of the day," I reminded him. "She said she should have done it long ago."